570 Pounds of Marijuana seized from stolen vehicle

On March 26, an officer with the Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS) was following a 2002 Chevrolet Avalanche, northbound on SR 90, near Benson. He ran a check on the license plate and the license plate returned to a stolen Dodge pickup. A high risk stop ensued with the assistance of the Benson Police Department and the driver was taken into custody without incident. Further investigation showed the Avalanche was loaded with 570 pounds of marijuana. The Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) on the vehicle was checked and it was noted that a false VIN had been attached and the vehicle had been stolen from Texas. The driver, Felipe Escalante Salazar, 45 years old, of Mexico, was going to be detained by officers when he suffered a possible heart attack during the incident and was taken to the hospital, where he was admitted into intensive care.